Levitating lightbulb takes Flyte

Need something to place alongside your levitating Bluetooth speaker? Or just sick of utilitarian lighting solutions anchored down by ghastly wires and fittings? It looks like progress in magnetic levitation, wireless charging and a particular product designer's brain have come together to save the day. Flyte is a globe that hovers freely above its base, offering a unique way to light up a room.

Simon Morris had held a lifelong fascination with things that hover. This passion lead him to professional work creating levitating displays for various products, including floating shoes, skateboards and speakers, and ultimately prompted him to ask, what if levitation could be combined with wireless charging?

Freshly launched on Kickstarter, Flyte consists of an LED bulb with a wireless power receiver and electromagnet in its bottom. Inside the wooden base is a wireless power transmitter and another electromagnet. Placing the bulb on the base and releasing it slowly will see it rise and settle into position. And if it's not lighting you're after, the base can also be used as a wireless charging pad for your smartphone.

Morris is offering Flyte lights through his Kickstarter campaign for early pledges of US$239, with deliveries estimated to begin in October if all goes to plan. When it comes to light globes, this sure isn't cheap. You could buy around 50 of Phillips' newly announced low-cost LED bulbs with that money. Indeed this cost removes Flyte from the practical lighting conversation and plants it firmly in the lavish and possibly overpriced art piece camp. But hey, whatever floats your low-energy light bulb, right?